A desperate, late rally from Jack Culcay was just enough to eke out a split decision over previously unbeaten Abass Baraou in a hotly-contested 154lbs encounter at the Havelstudios in Berlin on Saturday night.
Scores were 116-113, 115-114 for Culcay, overruling a 115-113 nod for Baraou. After nine rounds, it seemed as if Baraou had enough in the bank to prevail, having matched Culcay (29-4, 13 KOs) on the inside and impressed with his faster hands and thudding jab.
But with the fight slipping away, the more experienced Culcay dug deep in the last two rounds with a relentless assault that proved the difference on the judges’ cards. Yet Baraou (9-1, 6 KOs), who has been matched ambitiously by promoters Sauerland, should not see his stock fall after a creditable performance that could easily have gone his way.
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WBC No.1 contender Viktor Postol receives his shot at unified 140lbs champion Jose Ramirez tonight, but the sanctioning body’s next mandatory contender should be settled in Las Vegas on October 3 when former IBF champ Ivan Baranchyk meets Californian Jose Zepeda. The bout was originally scheduled for July 7 but postponed after Baranchyk suffered a rib injury.
Russian Baranchyk (20-1, 13 KOs) lost his IBF crown to Josh Taylor in an entertaining clash in May 2019 while Zepeda (32-2, 25 KOs and 2 NCs) dropped a controversial decision to Ramirez in the champion’s hometown of Fresno in February 2019.
But the winner will have to wait in line for their shot with Ramirez scheduled to face WBA Super and IBF title-holder Taylor in a unification bout then long-time WBO No.1 contender Jack Catterall after tonight’s fight in Las Vegas.
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Former IBF super-middleweight champion Caleb Truax is out of Saturday’s Fox PBC Fight Night co-main event against Alfredo Angulo at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles after suffering the effects of dehydration. He is replaced by Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez (11-4, 6 KOs) who was already on stand-by due to the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Fellow Mexican Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs) is enjoying an ‘Indian Summer’ to his career since linking up with trainer Abel Sanchez.
“We wish Caleb the best and hope to see him back in the ring soon, but it is fortunate that we have back-ups in place because of Covid-19,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Under normal circumstances you wouldn’t have a backup on stand-by. But because of Covid-19, we have someone who has been training, has been tested and is in the bubble and ready to go.”
Main image: Culcay (right) and Baraou go to war. Photo: Andreas Gora/DPA/Press Association.